Study Warns Parents Against Summertime Sugar Binge For Kids

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- With school out, summertime is a sweet time for children -- literally.

A new study out of England found that children consume more sugar in the summer than any other time of the year.

It's easy to understand why. On a sizzling summer day, nothing screams cooling off for kids quite like the ring of a Mister Softee truck.

The study from the UK-based MyDentist shows in order to keep kids cavity-free, especially in the summer, kids should pay close attention to their teeth and brushing.

MyDentist surveyed 1,000 patients and found the'll let their kids consume up to five times as much sugar during the summer than they ordinarily would. Some parents polled admitted it's easy to forget to brush when not in their usual routine.

Sometimes, they say it's just hard to keep kids from sweets.

"I check his teeth, I let him brush and then I make sure I brush after him because when he does it by himself he kind of only does the ones in front," Upper East Side mom Rebecca Hartswell.

Experts say it's best to keep an eye on your little ones when they brush.

"The takeaway is, try and watch the frequency, cut down on the frequency, bush when you can," Dr. Mark Hochberg said. "If you can't, eat a fruit right after you had something sticky to help self cleanse it."

The study found the major culprits to be sugary drinks and ice cream, which on hot days many kids gravitate towards. Nutritionists say there are plenty of healthy options to keep kids hydrated.

"Freezing any food is a great idea," nutritionist and founder of Real Nutrition NYC Amy Shapiro said. "Making your own ice cream from frozen bananas is always a great idea or finding an ice pop or alternative that doesn't have any added artificial colors or any added sugars just from a fruit source is a really good option."

Shapiro says having healthy foods on hand for your kid will help keep them from the side effects of sugar.

"It's constant hunger, it's crankiness, it's exhaustion, it's headaches, not sleeping well," Shapiro said.

Experts say it's okay for your kids to have sugar, just make sure you're following it up with healthy food and exercise.